Billie Sol Estes of Pecos, attired in his trademark dark suit, surrenders himself to Amarillo authoriteis in 1962. Estes, who was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy in 1965, died Tuesday at age 88.

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Billie Sol Estes, 88, the convicted Texas swindler who sold imaginary fertilizer to unsuspecting farmers and accused President Lyndon Johnson of ordering a hit on a federal official, was found dead Tuesday morning.

The body of the Kennedy-era con man was found by a caretaker in his DeCordova Bend Estates house in Granbury.

Estes was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy and sent to prison in 1965 to serve a 15-year sentence for a multi-million dollar con involving nonexistent fertilizer trucks that were backed by federal agriculture loans. He was paroled in 1971.

Many Texas Panhandle farmers bought his cheap anhydrous ammonia fertilizer and were forced by creditors to pay for the fertilizer they would never receive.

Estes’ cronies stayed ahead of finance agents sent to check on the tanks their companies loaned money on by carting fertilizer tanks from county to county at night.

Estes was sent to prison again in 1979 to serve 10 years when his parole was revoked for mail fraud and conspiracy to hide assets. He was released again in 1983.

After his release, Estes dropped a bombshell.

In 1984, he told a Robertson County grand jury that former President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the 1961 murder of a federal official.

Henry M. Marshall was shot to death on his farm in Franklin with a .22-caliber rifle. His death was officially ruled a suicide for 23 years until Estes testified.

Estes testified the shooter was Malcolm Wallace, who died in 1971. He said LBJ met with him and Wallace to discuss fears that Marshall could link the then-vice president to Estes’ illegal dealings.

Many Johnson aides said the claim was untrue.

One Johnson adviser, Robert Hardesty, said at the time, “I just think that Billie Sol Estes is a con man and a pathological liar. He’s just looking for publicity.”

The prosecutor at the time said there was nothing to corroborate Estes’ story. No one was indicted because most of the players were dead, but a judge did rule Marshall’s death was not self-inflicted.

Later reports indicated Wallace was in California at the time of the slaying. It also was found in 2007 that Estes and Johnson were not as close as Estes made it seem.

Estes co-wrote a book in 2003 alleging Johnson was tied to Kennedy’s assassination.

Estes moved to Granbury after his wife died in 2000. His daughter, Pam Estes Padget, wrote a book about her father, and at one point devoted a museum and archive to him in Granbury.

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This guy stole money and fertilizer from my grandfather and almost ruined my family financially. My grandfather helped to develop and engineer the fertilizer to be used in the tanks and unfortunately made the mistake of going into business with this coward. Billie Sol Estes was the salesman for the fertilizer, and everyone can see how this turned out for other farmers and my family. Even though he was imprisoned, we never got back anything this guy owed us and the only compensation for ruining a great fertilizer business was a used rolex watch. My dad still wears the watch to this day to remind him of what happened. Unfortunately my grandfather passed away a long time ago and never had closure from this ridiculous person.

Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear. Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

I was in high school in Abilene with Billie Sol's daughter, Pam, and his son, Billie Sol, Jr. Billie Sol's brother, Jack, was a successful and well respected doctor in town. The shame and grief this crook brought upon the Estes family was tragic.

You did not mention the details of the alleged suicide, in particular, the fact that Marshall shot himself multiple times in the Back with a .22 rifle. And Estes was not just an"accuser" of Johnson, he was a long time associate and trusted confidant.

Another rather spooky thing to note is how much the tactics that the Obama administration uses mimic or closely follow those employed by LBJ. I remember when Lyndon sic'ed the IRS on J Evetts Haley. The mysterious ways that money and power flowed and the unbridled zeal that LBJ supporters had for attacking detractors. Granted different motivations but definitely similar dirty tactics,